


Take My Hand, I'll Lead You To Salvation

by smallprotector



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Credence Barebone Needs a Hug, Crying, Friendship, Gen, Ignores parts of cannon, Newt Stays in New York, Newt is good with animals, and he gets one :D, credence heals, hugs for Credence!, people not so much, they're all in New York, time skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 06:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8737894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallprotector/pseuds/smallprotector
Summary: Newt finds Credence after the events of the movie and takes him in.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JuliaBaggins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuliaBaggins/gifts).



Credence huddled in the corner of the abandoned building, his arms covering his head as he rocked back and forth, keening slightly. He’d done it again. He’d hurt so many people. And he knew there was nowhere he could retreat to. His mother was dead- he’d killed her. Mr. Graves had said he didn’t care about him. And he was certain he had killed him too., even though everything that had happened was blurry. 

But he was certain of one thing: he had killed everyone who had ever cared about him. 

At that thought, he started letting out broken sounds, sobbing harder than before. Now he knew Ma had been right- he was evil. 

 

Newt was trying to find the boy. He knew he could help him- after failing the girl in Sudan, he also knew he had to save him. 

He was walking through the streets of New York, the streets still glistening from the rain, following the magical signature of the Obscurus. As he passed a building that looked almost ready to fall apart, he heard crying from inside. 

“Hello? Is there someone inside? Do you need help?” 

The sobs seemed to stop, but Newt could still here ragged breathing- it sounded like someone in deep distress and Newt was reminded of the time he’s left the Occamys alone for too long and they had started to cry for their mother. And remembering their pain, he couldn’t help but want to go and comfort whoever was suffering in there. 

“I’m going to come in now, lease don’t be frightened. I promise not to hurt you.”

 

Credence could hear the man talking outside, but he couldn’t focus on his words. And somehow, he recalled that voice from somewhere- as if from a dream. And when he looked up, he saw a man in a blue coat and a worried face peering down at him. 

He’d seen that man before.

He whimpered, scooting away from this new person. 

“Hey, hey there. It’s going to be alright. I’ll make sure you’re okay. Will you come with me? I promise I’ll take care of you. It’ll be safe with me,” the man said, his voice soft and soothing as blankets as he held out a hand to Credence. Credence found himself nodding and moving towards him as the stranger kept talking softly. 

Finally, he clasped his hand and the world seemed to disappear for a second. 

 

When the world returned, the first thing Credence noticed the warmth. They were in a small room, with pink walls and pictures hanging everywhere, full of little knick-knacks. 

“We’re safe here, no one bad will come here. Only safe people, no one is going to hurt you. But Tina and Queenie might be coming home soon- but they’re safe. You don’t have to worry about them. I’m Newt by the way, where are my manners. And I still have some sugar lumps- do you want one?”

“A sugar lump?” Credence was confused. Why was he being offered sugar? Gluttony was a sin, Mary Lou made sure he knew that. Mr. Graves had given him sweets sometimes, long ago- but he stopped a month or two back. Credence sometimes wondered what he’d done wrong, before feeling guilty that he would dare think he had ever deserved such kindness.

But the man- Newt he’d said he was called- was still talking

“Sugar always calms down Frank- I don’t know why, its not even meant to be part of his diet, but somehow he enjoys it. And my little cousins always seemed to like a lump of sugar- not that you’re a child! Anyway, do you want one?”

Somehow the rambling had managed to make Credence feel better. 

“I-If it’s alright yes please Mr. Newt.”

“Of course, don’t you worry. Here, this one should be nice and crunchy- the crunchy ones are always the best, I find. I always like having one when I’m feeling tired and I don’t have time to make a cup of tea,” he said, his voice still low and soft as he handed over the sugar cube to Credence. “Now, would you like to sleep for a bit? You look exhausted, and everything will look better after a good night’s sleep.”

Credence had noticed that he had no energy left- he felt as though every move was impossible. 

“You can just lie down here, and I’ll watch over you, alright? I promise you’ll be safe.”

Credence nodded. It was all he felt he could do right now, to be honest. But as he was lying down, he remembered something important.

“Is Mr. Graves alright? Did I kill him?”

“You didn’t, Credence. You didn’t hurt Mr. Graves at all. But we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

 

The days passed. Newt explained what had happened, and Queenie and Tina helped him feel better. Newt wasn’t always great with knowing what to say, but he was always there to lend and ear and make a cup of tea or hand out a sugar cube. And there was nothing more peaceful than helping him take care of his creatures.

So now Credence sent a lot of his time in the suitcase- most nights he even slept there. It was the only place he felt truly safe, surrounded by magic creatures. Sometimes he felt like a creature himself. 

But one day he climbed out of the suitcase and was greeted by a flurry of activity. Queenie, Tina and Newt were speaking, agitated. 

“And they’re sure it’s him? No Polyjuice?”

“Why I think it’s marvellous! I mean what beautiful news. I was so hoping he would be alright!”

“But we’re still checking, we were all fooled for months before-“

“What’s going on?” Credence asked, thrown off by how they were all talking at once. He hunched over and looked down as they all turned to him, half-wishing he’d never said anything at all. 

“Oh Credence,” Queenie sighed, her hands fluttering as she looked at him with those magical eyes. 

“They found Percival Graves. The real one.”

At those words from Tina, Credence stumbled to sit down. Mr Graves- he’s been told that the man he’s been talking to the last few months had only been pretending to be him. But now the real Mr. Graves had been found. The one who was nice to him. Not the one who’d slapped and abandoned him. But what if Mr. Graves had never truly cared about Credence? 

“Is he alright?” He asked, not sure what else to say.

“Yes, they said he’s fine,” Tina said. “But I heard he’d been asking about you.”

“He did?” Credence squeaked as a strange feeling tingled in his belly. So Mr. Graves still cared. That was- nice. And very unexpected. “Can I meet him again? Please?”

“I’ll try my very best to arrange it.”

“Oh boy, this will be wonderful! We can have a nice dinner party, what a treat!” Queenie said, before hurrying off, mumbling about ingredients and shopping. 

 

The next few days passed in a blur for Credence. He spent his time worrying about seeing Mr. Graves again, how he would act and if he would hate him for the destruction he had wrought.

By the time the evening Mr. Graves was supposed to come by rolled around, Credence could not stay still and found himself hunched over more than usual- as if he were back with Mary Lou. He was down in the suitcase when Newt came down.

“If you want to come out, Percival Graves is here.”

Credence found himself unable to move, staring at the ground. 

“You don’t have to come out of the suitcase, you know. We’ll all understand if you want to stay here.”

Credence shook himself. Now was not the time to be scared. 

“No- I’ll- I’m going to go meet him.”

Newt nodded, patting Credence on the shoulder. “Good man, good man. Up we go then.”

Credence made his way slowly up the ladder, trying not to think too much about what might happen. 

And there he stood. Mr Graves, an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Credence I am so sorry.”

“What?” This wasn’t what Credence had expected at all. Why was Mr. Graves of all people apologising?

“I’m sorry that you were hurt so much. I asked him so often not to hurt you but I could never be certain. And the things he said! Credence, can I hug you?”

Credence could only nod. Then he felt the warmth embrace him, a solid weight against his chest. Mr Graves leaned forward and spoke softly “I wish I could have protected you Credence. You didn’t deserve what he put you through.” Credence felt tears prick in his eyes, but he raised his arms to hug back, clinging to the safety. “It’s alright Mr. Graves,” he whispered. “You’re here now.” 

Mr. Graves chuckled softly. “I am. And I’m staying.”

Credence smiled. This was more than he had ever dared dream.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Julia! I hope you liked it- I tried to have some angst bit just for you and then I made sure it had a happy ending- with hugs! :D


End file.
